Ever Annoyed at people at the Range? RANT

[we are not amused]

Here is the rudest thing that ever happened at my range. The pistol lanes were all but full when I showed up, occupied by some kind of precision rimfire team shooting one-handed. I took the last lane and started cracking off .357 magnums. After a while I noticed they were glaring and giving me the stink eye. What gall! So what if the blast from my revolver was making them flinch and screw up their neat little 50 yard targets... oh wait, I guess I was the jackass that time. Sorry rimfire team. After that I tried to shoot only when they were reloading magazines.

LOL! I did something similar one time, although it wasn't with a precision rimfire team, or me with a .357 magnum.

But everyone else was shooting 9mm and .380, and I hauled out my CZ-52 and started blasting downrange. My buddy who was sharing the lane with me, said every one on the other lanes stopped what they were doing and adjusted their ear protectors, every one of them. It wasn't anybetter when I quit and he hauled out his 10mm Glock.

 

[rondog]

This is one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen! If you had the proper outdoor range that is. It would be ideal at my club range, but I'd want one about three times bigger. A large enclosed trailer would be the ultimate, I'd just leave it packed with my range gear all the time (not the guns, of course). But I don't have a place at home to even park such a thing.

 

[amd6547]

I'm sorry you guys have such problems. I belong to a private rifle club. It is about 25 minutes from my driveway.
The people there are all polite and friendly. Always happy to accommodate another shooter, safe to a fault, and easy to deal with as far as cease fires to change targets.
We have no official range officers...in our club, each member is considered a range officer
I really feel like I reached the shooting promised land when I was invited to join.

 

[glockgod]

Annoyed at people at the range? Hell I get annoyed at people EVERYWHERE!! Being stupid shouldn't be a capitol offense-but let's take all the warning labels off of everything AND LET THE PROBLEM SOLVE ITSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:banghead:

 

[artbrownsr]

we stayed long enough for a man and his son to show up and while everyone had stopped shooting we all walked out checked targets and come back. Except the man and his son and the people started shooting. I had my 9 year old with me and a good buddy of mine.. Me and the boy cased up everything while my buddy (who does not deal with stupid well) walked down to speak with them. And he did so without a firearm on him.

Where was the range officer/ safety man?

 

[mark1616]

I often only bring one pistol and a couple boxes of factory rounds. The purpose of that visit is to maintain qual levels.

On other trips its all out zombie attack practice including two trips to the vehicle to unload. Different trip for a different purpose.

Why the person is next to me is there, what he is shooting, and how well he is shooting it is of no concern to me until it directly affects me. Until then I am happy in my own little shooter's world.

I think if someone was crowding me out I would certainly say something. It is surprising how self-unaware people are. The fellow shooters very likely do not realize they are being inconsiderate.

 

[gym]

For me, I am in and out in 15-25 minutes. I only go to stay sharp, ot test a modification, Unless it's a private range with long time shooters, I want out of there before I get in.You can get hurt or killed in those places. They "gun store" sold a old woman , "80" and her daughter 55-60, two of the same 25 caliber auto's with the european, heel style mags, that were really in bad shape. I couldn't say much since I shoot there. But after the guy showed them once how to load it, he left. So I was stuck with these two dangerous woman pulling and swearing while trying to get the mag out. So being the nice guy that most of us are, I ran down the entire thing to them, while explaining that this may not be the best choice for them, "not knowing their budget" I didn't want to ask personel questions. But they were never going to release the mag and load them. Living in Vero they probablly could have bought the entire store. But not my job, surviving the day became more important. It's a shame sometimes the things people are talked into or not talked out of buying. And that guy with the girlfriend with the amazing chest, is he everyware, with that 44 magnum, I could swear he has followed me through 2 states, as she turns scanning me with the muzzle as she looks for approval from her loving boyfriend."wonder if they will show up for the funeral after she blows off mine or the 2 old women banging their autos on the table to get the mag out, Dry firing is looking better every day.

 

[chrt396]

I bring either a big range bag...24" long and a big ammo can on my light days. I bring a roll in hard case on other days when I feel like shooting an entire arsenal. I take a spot on the table behind the line...trying to stack it so that I don't monopolize the table. I shoot for 3-4 hours! I reload..so I have extra ammo to blow up..and I do just that!

What DOES piss me off is the ones that come in and want to pair up at the line. There is room for one shooter at the line per stall. Two try and crowd in there and half of the 2nd person in piled up in part of my stall. I politely ask the offending party to move his fat A-- over..and he responds by moving over. Problem solved! For those stubborn ones..I may have to nudge closer to the crowded side and blow off a couple 41 magnum rounds to get their attention. Certain things tick me off. Lack of consideration is my pet peeve!

If someone had equipment laying all over the place..I have no problem asking for a piece of real estate for myself. If you hold it in and don't say anything..you'll get upset and end up posting your irritations on "The High Road" forum!!

 

[Bobson]

Does your local range not have individual shooting tables/lanes, OP?

The range ten mins from my apartment has a big T-shaped table at each shooting lane, with long benches behind the lanes that span ten lanes or so.

Pretty much everyone goes with 2-3 guns or more, duffel bags full of ammo, spotting scopes, the works. I assumed it's like that at every range. I love going, sometimes just to see other people's gear. It's like a gun show, minus the buying, but with shooting right there. I think the shortest amount of time I've ever stayed was around 3 hours. At $7 for all-day admission, I wouldn't want to shoot anywhere else.

 

[P5 Guy]

All I want to add it do to others as you want them to do to you.

 

[ExTank]

I shoot at a pretty good range so about the only thing that ticks me off are the people loitering right behind their booths in the walkway during a cease-fire and blocking other people's access to their booths. Step back, or have a seat on the benches, or just simply pay attention to the people returning from down range and trying to get back to their booths and move out of the way!

 

[Eb1]

I roll to the range with at least two rifles. Generally a .22 LR to shoot in between shooting HP rifles. I take a Chrony, cleaning kit, tools to repair my rifle in case of a failure. I take my sweet time shooting over the Chrony, and allow my barrel to cool for as long as it takes.

If this annoys you. Maybe you should get more into the shooting hobby. If I pay my money, and get a lane. I will take as long as it takes to gather the data I need. Sorry if you didn't wake up early enough to get in on the first list. Your loss.

And I actually told the guy next to me who kept pointing his rifle in my direction to kindly keep his muzzle down range, or I would ask the range master to have him removed. He was very apologetic.
Also a couple young men had just bought a Winchester 30-30. They did not know that you had to leave the last bullet loaded hanging out of the gate to put another one into the tube. They cussed for about 5 minutes, and I went over to ask what the problem they were having with a new rifle. He said, "we cannot get but one bullet loaded into the rifle." I took the time to explain the pros and cons of the Winchester '64. After that. They were good to go.

 

[JPG19]

I was packing up my equipment at the range the other day when a group of five or six "thugish" 16-20yo guys walk up with pistols in hand, file out between the already-occupied benches, and all simultaneously open (rapid) fire at the targets already down range. I was blown away from the enormous lack of respect, consideration, observation of range rules, etc...not to mention intimidated. My spidey-sense kicked in and I got out of there ASAP, only to become more and more furious as I drove away. I called the sheriff and reported it and, since the range is in a National Forest, they have since increased the frequency of check-ins by the Park Rangers. Oddly enough, there are no private gun ranges in NW Arkansas or I'd definitely be joining one after that.

 

[Bobson]

Was that a public range, JPG19? I can't believe range staff would let that go without removing those guys.

 

[camar]

I am normally the RSO. I don't care how many guns they have. What I tell them is when they are ready to go down range to set up their targets to let me know so I can declare a cease fire. This also gives those who have been shooting a chance to either change or patch up their targets. Normally this is all done within 10 minutes.

Everybody happy and no complaints.

 

[inclinebench]

Reading these posts makes me so glad that I have land. I shoot when and how I want, and my friends that come to shoot with me, are hand picked by me. If someone shoots stupid or acts stupid, they are simply not invited back again.

 

[LKB3rd]

I feel your pain, but getting all pissed off about it... just gets you all pissed off. He is still going to do it, and 100 other people will do idiotic things around you as you go about your day.

 

[Cop Bob]

It's about a 40 min. drive for me to go the the range. I belong to a private club, often I am the only one there, especially on week days...

I don't get time to go very often, and when I do, it is usually at least a 4 or 5 hour multi gun session.. I have an insert in the receiver hitch of my truck that holds a single stage press, for load development. You can back up to the 100 yd line close enough where all I have to do is roll my chair back and I am at my press... Guns, usually 3 or 4, I lay out in the bed of the truck,with supplies and a cooler, set up the Chrony.. and I'm ready to spend the day..

When others show up, it is always a pretty friendly affair.. Cease fires when you need em, nobody gets in a hurry, nobody gets their panties in a knot... at least not in the time I have been a member there... my family has held membership there since1956...

Every now and again, there may be a new member show up and not be real familiar with the routine, but they have a way of settling down, especially when everyone, or if it is just myself, will stop and just watch them waste ammo.. They usually get the message..if not, it doesn't take long for them to run out... we are pretty good about self policing with the safety rules... quick with the polite reminders...

Only one that really gets my goat, is that sometimes you will see a newbie, or guests that will want to handle a FA with the line safe and folks downrange.. a BIG no-no... That will bring about an immediate reminder... but it is pretty rare...

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

I feel your pain, but getting all pissed off about it... just gets you all pissed off. He is still going to do it, and 100 other people will do idiotic things around you as you go about your day.

Attitudes like this are why people act like they do these days. Imagine if we all called those idiots on their BS. I bet they'd eventually get the hint or at least some of them would.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[vellocet]

Yes. These clowns who dress like its time to deploy in the morning or want a little range time before death-metal band practice. Maybe I just have a bad attitude because there were lots and lots of places to shoot outside around here, my property included, and now I have to go to a stinking range.

 

[gym]

I really am looking for a private range with a limited membership near or in Indian River. My Buddy wants to teach me the fine art of sniping or at least long distance shooting, When he returns in a couple weeks from up North, he may hav got some input on one, or we would appreciate any leads on such a range. I am a pistol guy, he a marine sniper, and I am getting bored with handguns after 37 years of carrying one and 55 yeras of shooting them.
He needs 1000 yards for what he does, and at the last gun show in FT pierce, we only found 600 yards available. "which would be twice what I need. But he has a very large collection of fine, rifles, so if any of you gents can steer me to a range, Or private land, we sure would appreciate it. know he just picked up that remington precision rifle and is looking for a good scope for it.Fell free if you have something I can pass on to him.

 

[JPG19]

Was that a public range, JPG19? I can't believe range staff would let that go without removing those guys.

Yes, it's a public range with no staff. It's up to the shooters to clean and keep up with the facility, although the national park that it is a part of does pay for and provide routine maintenance.

 

[Obsidian]

Yes. These clowns who dress like its time to deploy in the morning or want a little range time before death-metal band practice. Maybe I just have a bad attitude because there were lots and lots of places to shoot outside around here, my property included, and now I have to go to a stinking range.

Careful, some of us have deployed in the morning and/or Enjoy some death-metal music now and again.

That aside, really just engage the individual, however if your on a range, public or private and they were there first and not taking up space you needed why worry about it? I've shot at heavily used public ranges with my several rifles or pistols and the gear, and bare bones. I've been fortunate enough to shoot at a seldom used range, but that may change soon. I won't change what I bring to shoot however. Tuck stuff in close and be aware of who is around you. And if I wander in to a range, public or private I assume the previous folks there have the right-away to set the shooting tempo for target changing. I have yet however to come to any range situation ever where someone is not approachable if you just say Hello there, mind if we shoot here, or tuck in next to you for these range targets, I want to zero at 100. Or I want to shoot my pistols at 25.
Hello there, I see you are shooting muzzle loader, Want me to hold off on shooting till you get your shot off?

What are you shooting today? Oh that is a beauty! I'm going to be shooting this, this and this. When you take a break or if I can get a few moments of time I want to set up my targets. I'll set up multiples on the same backstop though so I can try different loads for accuracy.

Just some suggestions or comments I have had at the ranges where I've had the luck of shooting with people. Try a bit of communication. And yes really stop complaining. Sometimes people are not used to shooting with others. Just strike up a bit of polite conversation, get to the point and work it out.

 

[vellocet]

No disrespect, but you must be shooting in OZ (magical,not australia) Wish we all could,too. Thanks for the description, Obsidian.